Safety-envelop.



PATENTED JAN. 28, 190.8. R. W. VAIL.

SAFETY ENVELOP. APPLICATION FILED Imm 21. 190s.

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UNTTED STATES ROBERT WILLIAM VAIL, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

SAFETY-ENVELOP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 28, 1908.

Application i'ilcd June 21.1906- Serial No. 322,712.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT WILLIAM VAIL, a citizen of the United States, and resident of New York, in.the county and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Safety-Envelops, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to safety envelops, and it has for its object to provide a simple and improved envelop of this class which will effectively prevent unsealing and tampering with the contents without detection.

A further object of my invention is to provide an improved envelop of the class described which will possess advantages in point of security, safety, convenience, inexpensiveness, effectiveness, and general eHiciency.

In carrying out the objects above stated, my invention comprises an improved en velop in which safety sealing by means of a mass of sealing-wax or plastic material is enF abled, which sealing means is adapted, by the structural features of the envelop, to be so engaged that any breakage or destruction of said sealing means and an attempt to restore the same to original condition will be readily detected. 1 In the drawingsFigure 1 is a rear face view of the envelop when sealed. Fig. 2 is a rear face view of the envelop with the sealing iiap in elevated position. Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view, taken on the line Qcoc, Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a detail plan view of the sealingstructure carried by the backsheet, the back-sheet being illustrated in dotted lines. Fig. 5 is a detail edge view of the plate, comprised in the sealing structure of the backsheet, for engaging the sealing-w ax or plastic material. Fig. 6 is a plan view showing a modified form of the plate illustrated in Fig. 4. Fig. 7 is a detail sectional view, corresponding to the section shown in Fig. 3, including the modified form of plate shown in Fig. 6.

Corresponding parts in all the figures are denoted by the same reference characters.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates the body of the envelop, which'is in the main or ordinary or usual construction, comprising the back-sheet, 2, and the sealing-flap,.3,

. which latter may carry the usual sealing material, such as mucilage or the like, at its edge, as at 4. The back-sheet 2 carries, at a convenient point on its portion which is covered by the sealing-flap 3, a plate, 5, which may be formed of a thin sheet of aluminium or any other' suitable or adapted material which will provide an effective engaging structure as hereinafter described. The plate 5 is secured interiorly to the back-sheet 2 in any suitable manner, preferably by means of a disk or strip of paper, as at 6, covering the back of the plate 5 and adhesively or otherwise secured at its surrounding edges, as at 7, to the back sheet. The plate 5 is provided with proj ections, as at 8, extending from its outer face and through the backsheet 2. Said projections are preferably struck-up from the plate, and may be in the form of right-angular nibs or fingers, as shown in Figs. 2 to 5, inclusive, or of any other suitable or adapted contour. The backesheet 2 is provided with suitable slots or openings, as at 9, which may be formed by any adapted cutting or stamping machine, to permit ofthe passage therethrough of the projections S, so that the latter will extend or project beyond the outer surface of the back-sheet.

The sealing-flap 3 is likewise provided with. corresponding slots or openings, as at 10, adapted to register with the openin s 9 of the back-sheet 2, when the flap is seaed and permit of the passage or projection of the envelop of the projections 8 of the plate 5.

When the flap 3 is sealed or brought-to relative position with respect to the backsheet 2, with the projections 8 extending through the openings 9 and 10 in both the back-sheet and sealing-flap, a mass of sealing-wax or other suitable plastic material, shown at 11, is applied so that it will surround and inclose the projections 8 and engage the same, and extend over the seal ingflap at its outer surface. After the Wax is applied, in the manner just stated, it can be impressed at its outer surface with a desired initial, emblem or mark, as at 12, forming an identifying seal.

When angular projecting nibs or ngers, 8, are struck-up from the plate 5, as illustrated in Figs. 2 to 5, inclusive,`a slot or opening, as at 14, is formed in the plate, and inasmuch as the openings 9 and 10 respectively in the back-sheet 2 and sealing-flap 3 permit the passage of the full area of the projections y 8 the wax 12 will enter said openings 9 and 10 and the openings 14 in the plate 5 and therethrough beyond the outer back surface contact with the securing disk or strip 6. The latter is thus adapted to serve the double purpose of securing the plate 5 in connection With the back-sheet 2 and protecting the contents of the envelop from injury by contact or affect of the wax 11.

- To further augment the safety efficiency ofl the improved envelop, under the circumstances just described, the protective and securing strip or disk 6 is preferably formed of an absorbent paper or analogous material which will by absorption mingle with the waX and form a secure or permanent contact or connection therewith. When the member 6 is thus formed of absorbent lmaterial, the openings 9 and 10, respectively in the back-sheet 2 and sealing-flap 3, maybe of enlarged area with respect to the area of the rojections 8 of the plate 5, as shown in iigs. 2 and 4, so that the wax 11 may more readily pass through said openings to the openings or slots 14 in the plate 5 and to contact with the absorbent sheet or member 6. The plate 5 may bev provided with supplementary openings, as at 15, for urposes of lightness and saving of materia, and in this connection, relative to the employment of absorbent material for the strip or member 6 as above described, the back-sheet 2 and the sealin -liap 3 may be likewise provided with supp ementary openings, as at 16 and 17 respectively, relatively registering when the sealing-flap is brought to relative position with respect Ito the back-sheet 2 and registering with the supplementary openings 15 in the plate 5, so that the mass of the waX 11 will pass through said openings 17 and 16 and the openings 15 to contact and connection with the absorbent strip or member 6. It will be noted that the wax 11 covers and incloses within its mass or body all of the projecting ortions 8 of the plate 5, and can also pass t rough the openings 9 and 10 and 14 to the strip or member 6 or through the openings 17 and 16 and 15 to the strip or member 6, and adhere to the projections 8 and to the paper parts of the sealing-flap and back-sheet surrounding said projections 8, as well as ,to the interior proective securing and covering strip or mem- The operation and advantages of my invention will be readily understood. When the flap 3 is brought to operative position with relation to the back-sheet 2, or sealed thereto by its adhesive edge 4, and the wax 11 is applied upon the outer surface of the sealingap with its mass inclosing the projections 8 and passing through the openings 10,- 9 and 14, or the openings 17, 16 and 15, and contacting with the strip or member 6, and the outer surface of the wax is sealed with the identifying mark 12, the envelop is effectively sealed against unsealing or tampering with the contents without detection. l

The release of the sealing edge 4 by steaming or otherwise, would of course leave the waX seal-construction intact, and the destruction of the wax seal 11 would not only destroy the identifying mark 12 but would alsoessentially destroy the paper structure surrounding and associated with the projections 8 of the plate 5, and would also destroy the adhering interior protective strip or member 6, under the circumstances and conditions above described, and thus any attempt to provide a substitute waX seal could be detected; The invention thus provides an effective sealing ,medium against any tampering with the contents of the envelop without detection, in which connection it will be especially noted that the means by which the waX seal 11 is adhesively secured are essentially affected or destroyed if the waX seal is broken or removed.

Under some circumstances of use, it will be understood that the employment of the sealing edge 4 is not essential, as the improved structure associated with the wax seal 11, as comprised in my invention and improvements and herein described, will effectively serve all sealing purposes in the use and transportation of the envelop. It will be further noted that the improved structure, comprising the projections 8 of the plate 5, forms an effective protection for retaining the wax seal against damage or breakage thereto, said projections constituting an effective means for retaining the mass or body of the waX seal intact, and thus accidental breakage of or damage to the wax seal, as is the case when waX seals are applied in the usual manner to free or exposed surfaces of paper and without internal protective or stiffening means, is obviated.

In Figs. 6 and 7, l have illustrated a modified form of the projections 8 upon the plate 5, in which said projections, in lieu of the angular nibs or fingers illustrated in Figs. 3 to 5, inclusive, are formed by ridges or ribs struck-up from the plate, which ridges or ribs serve the same offices and purposes as the angular nibs or fingers hereinbefore described.

l do not desire to be understood as limiting myself to the detail construction and arrangement of parts as herein shown and described, as it is manifest that variations and modifications therein may be resorted to, in the adaptation of my invention to varying conditions of use, without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention and improvements. I therefore reserve the right to all such variations and modifications as properly fall within the scope of my invention and the terms of the following claims.

lOO

Having thus described my invention, I

claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent: 1., An improved safety envelop of the class described, having its back-sheet and sealing- 'llap provided. with a series of openings adapted to relatively register, and provided With a plate or strip carried at the inner side of the back-sheet and having a series of projections extending through said respective openings, the registering openings being somewhat larger than the respective projections passing through them, whereby the mass of a plastic sealing material inclosing the set of projections Will enter each opening around the respective projections and engage the backsheet and sealing-flap at various points of their parts Which extend over the surface of the plate and engage also the bottom surface of the plate at various points adjacent to the respective openings, the plate being provided with openings, and separate means underlying the openings in the plate and the body of the plate and secured. to the inner face of the back-sheet to retain the plate in position, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. An improved safety envelop of the class described, provided with a plate or strip carried by the envelop and having openings and projections, the envelop having openings through which said projections extend beyond the exterior surface and are adapted to be inclosed Within the mass of a plastic sealing material, and having a separate absorbent strip underlying said plate and the openings therein and adapted to be absorbently engaged by said plastic material, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. An improved safety envelop of the class described, provided with a plate or strip carried by the envelop and having openings and projections, the envelop having openings through which said projections extend beyond the exterior surface and are adapted to be inclosed Within the mass of a plastic sealing material, and having a separate absorbent strip underlying said plate and the openings therein and adapted to be absorbently engaged byl said plastic material, said ,absorbent strip being secured to the envelop to retain the perforated plate in position, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. An improved safety envelop of the class described, provided with a plate or'strip carried by the envelop and having openings and projections, the envelop having openings through which said. projections extend beyond the exterior surface and are adapted to be inclosed Within the mass of a plastic sealing material, and having a separate strip or flap underlying the plate and the openings therein and secured to the envelop and securing the plate in connection With the envelop and ada ted to be engaged by said plastic materia substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

5. An improved safety envelop ofthe class described, provided With a plate or strip carried by the back-sheet and havingI openings and projections, and provided With openings in the sealing-flap through which said projections extend and are adapted to be inclosed Within the mass of a plastic sealing material, and having a separate absorbent strip secured to the back-sheet and underlying said plate and its openings and adapted to be absorbently engaged by said plastic material, substantialy as and for the purpose set forth.

6. An improved safety envelop of the class described, having its back-sheet and sealingflap provided With openings, and provided with a plate or strip carried at the inner side of the back-sheet and having openings and f projections extending through the openings in the back-sheet and sealing-[l ap and adapted to be inclosed Within the mass of a plastic sealing material, and having a separate abi sorbent strip secured to the-bacli-sheet and underlying said plate and its openings and securing the late in position and adapted to be absorbent y engaged by said plastic material, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

7. An improved safety envelop of the class described, proyided With a plate or strip having openings and projections, and having a strip of absorbent material underlying said plate and its openings, the envelop having openings through which the projections of the late extend and are adapted to be inclosed Within the mass of a plastic sealing material and which permit the passage of said sealing material through lthe openings in the plate into absorbent engagement with said absorbent strip, substantially as andv for the purpose set forth.

S. An improved safety envelop of the class described, having with a plate or strip underlying said openings and having openings and projections extending through said envelop openings, and having a separate absorbent strip securing the plate to the envelop and underlying said plate and its openings, whereby the mass of a plastic sealing material is adapted to inclose said projections at the outer surface of the envelop and pass through the openings in the plate into absorbent engagement With said absorbent strip,substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

9. An improved safety envelop of the class described, having its back-sheet and sealingfiap provided With a series of openings ad apted to relatively register, and provided with an interiorly-mounted plate or strip consisting of a flat disk or body-portion forming a plane surface area underlying the overlapping portions of both the back-sheet and sealing-flap at the part having the series of registering openings, the plate being provided With a series of projections extending at different points from the surface of said flat disk or body-portion and adapted to pass openings, and provided vcured to the back-sheet, whereby the mass of a plastic sealing material Will engage the respective projections ol' the plate outside the sealing-flap and engage the back-sheet and sealing-flap at the portions surrounding the respective projections and also the surface of the flat disk or body-portion adjacent j to the openings in the back-sheet and sealinglap and also pass through the openings in the ilat disk or body-portion to engagement With the securing strip, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

10. An improved safety envelop of the class described, having its back-sheet and sealing-Hap provided With a series ol openings adapted to relatively register', and provided With. an interiorly-mounted plate or strip consisting of a flat disk or body portion forming a plane surface area underlying the overlappingportions of both the back-sheet and sealing-flap at the part having the series of registering openings, the plate being provided with a series of projections ex'tending at dii'lierent points from the surface of said. llat disk or body-portion and adapted to pass through the respective registering openings of both the back-sheet and sealinguclap, and the plate being also pro vided With openings or perforations through the flat disk or body-portion of thel plate, the respective registering openings in the backsheet and sealing-'flap being larger than the respective projections on the flat plate to Aform open spaces surrounding the respective sealing-flap at the portions surrounding theV respective projections and also the surface of the hat disk or body-portion adjacent to the openings in the back-sheet and sealing-Hap and also pass through the openings in the flat disk or body-portion to absorbent engagement with the securing strip, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

1l. An improved safety envelop of the class described, having its meeting portions provided with openings adapted to relatively register, and provided With an interiorlymounted plate or strip having projections adapted to pass through said registering openings, said plate being provided With openings or perlorations and the meeting portions of the envelop being provided with supplementary openings or perforations adapted to relatively register and also register with said openings in the plate, and an interior securing strip underlying the plate and underlying all the openings in the plate and the supplementary openings in the meeting portions of the envelop Which register With the openings in the plate, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony vwhereof I have signed my name in the presence of the subscribing Witnesses.

ROBERT WILLIAM VAIL. 

